Quote – George Tolley, Peter Bernstein, and Michael Lesage.

The ordinance would cost the city [Chicago] nearly $20 million per year. The city would spend more than 20% of this amount ($4.2 million) on the administrative costs of certification, monitoring, and enforcement of the ordinance. This $20 million cost would require a permanent tax increase on citizens of Chicago.

George Tolley, Peter Bernstein, and Michael Lesage. “Economic Analysis of a Living Wage Ordinance.” July, 1999.